


Quiet Nights With Cups of Coffee

by sublime_sunlight



Series: Welcome to Crypto Coffee [2]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast), The Adventure Zone Amnesty
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, First Kiss, Fluff, Just let my boys be happy, M/M, Mentions of homophobia, One Shot, Trans Duck Newton, ned owns a coffee shop because why the hell not, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:00:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24462400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sublime_sunlight/pseuds/sublime_sunlight
Summary: The new barista at Crypto Coffee is cute, but Duck is sure he has no chance.
Relationships: Barclay/Agent Stern (The Adventure Zone), Indrid Cold/Duck Newton
Series: Welcome to Crypto Coffee [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775653
Comments: 5
Kudos: 61





	Quiet Nights With Cups of Coffee

“So,” Duck looked up from his stack of papers. “Mr. Cold, is it?”  
“Indrid is fine.” The man in front of him had a shock of white hair and was picking at his pink sweater. Perched on his nose were a pair of red circular glasses.  
“I see you’ve got lots of artistic experience,” Duck continued.  
Indrid smiled. “Yes, art was my major in college. It was always my passion growing up,” he laughed. “But it never paid well enough.”  
“I can’t say the same for this place,” Duck gestured to the quaint coffee shop around him. “Ned pays us well, but it was never my passion. Always loved skateboarding and being outside.”  
Crypto Coffee was the best coffee shop in all of Kepler, West Virginia. After all, it was the only one. Ned Chicane, local reformed con man and born salesman, had opened it as a way to blend Kepler’s cryptid fascination with that good bean juice.  
The walls of the Crypto were lined with posters of creatures like Bigfoot, the Mothman, and Nessie. All the coffee sold was named after an unexplained phenomena. The “Roswell Red Eye” and the “Loch Ness Peppermint Latte” were best sellers.  
“That’s lovely, but I’m a homebody myself,” Indrid glanced around the shop at the patrons. “If I may ask, how did you end up working here? This seems like the last job a nature lover would want.”  
“According to Ned, cryptids are basically nature. Plus, I needed the money for-“ Duck coughed and turned red. “Med-medical stuff. Yeah.”  
Indrid chuckled. “You’re a terrible liar.” He smiled fondly at the man across from him.  
Duck sputtered more, his blush spreading up to his ears. “It was, y’know, y’need money to live and shit – ah, fuck, you seem nice enough.” He discreetly motioned to one of the many friendship bracelets on his wrist, in the colors of the trans flag.  
Indrid nodded in understanding. “Yes, that does require lots of cash.”  
Duck smiled, relieved. “My friend Aubrey made me the bracelet, but I like to keep it on the down low. Kepler’s awesome, but it ain’t always the best move to broadcast that.”  
Indrid mimed zipping his lips. “I understand.”  
“So, how’s Wednesday work?” Duck picked the papers back up.  
“For working here?” Indrid was startled, his resume was sparse at best.  
“Yeah, you give off a good vibe,” Duck raised his voice slightly. “And I need someone to work with who isn’t always ogling his boyfriend.”  
A tall, buff man emerged from behind the counter. “I heard that!”  
Duck laughed and dodged the straw the man tossed at him. “That’s just Barclay. His boyfriend works at the government office downtown and he always stops by on his lunch. They’re grossly in love.”  
“Don’t listen to him, we’re super chill.” Barclay shot a death glare at his fellow barista, who blew him a raspberry.  
“You’ll fit in great, I promise.” Duck reached over and offered Indrid a high five. Indrid blushed at the unexpected contact, and upon noticing the large size of Duck’s hands, blushed harder.  
“See you Wednesday.”  
******  
“Duck, do you only hire gay people?”  
Aubrey Little, the Lady Flame, was perch on the windowsill as Duck cleaned behind the counter. In her lap was her pet rabbit, Dr. Harris Bonkers PhD.  
“Aubrey, he’s not gay. He’s just a nice guy who seems like a good fit. My gaydar isn’t that busted.”  
“He’s so gay.” Aubrey blew a large bubble in her Juicy Fruit gum. “Those glasses, that hair? He’s gay.”  
As he wiped down the tables, Duck was panicking. Of course Indrid looked gay, but that could just be him projecting. It would be perfect if he was, but it seemed unlikely.  
Wednesday crept slowly upon him. Tuesday night, Duck found himself laying awake thinking about Indrid. He could still remember when he blushed as they shook hands, his flush hidden under those giant glasses.  
Duck couldn’t sleep much that night.  
******  
“You look a bit tired,” Indrid said to Duck as he pulled a shot of expresso.  
“Yeah, uh,” Duck cleared his throat. “My cat was, she, she got out? Yeah, she got out.”  
Indrid just laughed and took the next person’s order. His shift passed in relative quiet, with the two passing between each other in a fluid motion. A few times, their hands would touch reaching for a cup or a syrup. Each time, Duck hastily pulled away and apologized while Indrid blushed.  
Despite all the distraction from his growing crush, Indrid caught onto the job quickly. The customers in Kepler were all grateful for some hot coffee, and a few even complimented his new lime green sweater. At the end of the day, Duck pulled Indrid aside.  
“Indrid, you’re a natural at this,” Duck said. “The customers love you.”  
“My mother owns a restaurant. I helped out in my teens.”  
“I had no clue. Glad I hired you.” Duck caught a glance at Indrid’s blush. “I mean, that’s not the only reason I’m glad, it’s nice to have you around.”  
Indrid laughed nervously. “Thank you, Duck.”  
Duck glanced at the wall clock, featuring octopus tentacles at the hands. “It’s still early, would you want to grab a drink?”  
“Absolutely.” Indrid pulled his fuzzy overcoat on. “The Hornet’s Nest work for you?”  
******  
The Hornet’s Nest was a seedy, shady dive bar by big city standards. By Kepler standards, it was nothing short of a death trap. No one was prouder of this fact than the bartender Hollis. As Duck and Indrid sat down at the bar, Hollis was the one to greet them.  
“What’ll it be, Duck?”  
“Diet Coke with a lemon, please.”  
Hollis gave Indrid a once-over. “And you, buddy?”  
“Do you have any lemonades?”  
Hollis slid Indrid a Mike’s Hard Lemonade with a curly straw. Indrid nodded gratefully and slurped down his drink. Duck sipped his drink as well.  
“Why are you here?”  
Indrid stopped drinking. “You invited me?”  
Duck laughed. “Nah, I mean Kepler. You seem like the city type, is all. Wouldn’t peg you as a real small town kinda person.”  
“Well, I worked in the city for a long time. Didn’t suit me.” Indrid glanced around. “Too... crowded. I came back recently, mostly just for the peace and quiet. Besides, my mother lives here.”  
Duck leaned back and sipped his Coke. “Really? Huh, I might know her then. What’s her name?”  
“Madeline Cobb. She hates being called that though, everyone I know just calls her Mama.”  
Duck smiled. “Hell yeah, I know Mama. Didn’t know she had a kid.”  
Indrid looked down at his flip flops. “She didn’t. She adopted me when I was fifteen. My parents were, how do you say this…”  
“Assholes?”  
Indrid smiled at Duck. “Yes, that’s a good word.”  
“What did they do?” Duck suddenly stopped. “Wait, ya don’t gotta answer that. We all have stuff we don’t want to talk about.”  
“No, no, I trust you,” Indrid patted Duck’s arm reassuringly. He pulled away after a lingering moment. “I came out to them. It clearly came as a shock.”  
“That’s terrible.”  
Indrid shrugged. “I’m better off now. Mama has been wonderful to me, and Kepler is a good home.”  
“It is.” Duck finished off his Coke and fished the lemon slice out from the bottom. “Wanna see something cool?”  
Indrid eyed the lemon. “…Yes?”  
In one motion, Duck chewed and swallowed the whole lemon slice with a neutral expression.  
“What. The. Fuck.” Indrid said deadpan.  
Duck smiled triumphantly. “They taste great to me.”  
Indrid burst out laughing. “You’re insane! Who eats plain lemons? You’re like a citrus sleeper agent sent to kill me!”  
Duck was bent over, wheezing with laughter. “Hollis! Can I have more lemon slices, please?”  
“No, no, no! Bad, bad, bad!”  
“C’mon ‘Drid, it’s a cool talent.”  
“We have very different definitions of talent, Duck.”  
******  
Duck pulled his truck out of the Hornet’s Nest parking lot, the radio murmuring static. Indrid sat quietly in the passenger seat, nursing his second lemonade. Duck glanced over from time to time to watch the moonlight bounce off his glasses.  
“Y’know, Aubrey was right.”  
“About what?” Indrid turned towards him. His long neck and collarbones were slightly exposed in the baggy green sweater.  
God, he looks cute. Duck thought. He quickly snapped back.  
“She made fun of me after your interview. She said I only hire gay people. I guess she was right, we’re batting three for three here.”  
Indrid laughed. “Duck, I could’ve told you that. I’m afraid I’ve never been terribly discreet when it comes to my sexuality. I figured you realized right away.”  
“Nah,” Duck pulled up to Indrid’s trailer. “I was afraid I confused me thinking you were gay with wishing- “He stopped.  
“Uh, I mean,” he felt his ears getting hot. “I just mean, if that’s something you would be interested in?”  
Indrid leaned over and kissed him. Duck instantly leaned in, cradling Indrid’s face in his hands. As he ran his thumbs along Indrid’s jaw, he heard him whimper.  
Indrid pulled a few inches from Duck’s face and looked him in the eyes. His glasses were off, and now Duck could see his brown, almost auburn, eyes.  
“This is fine, right?” Indrid pulled away and looked up guiltily. “I understand if you don’t want to- “  
Duck smiled. “Indrid,” he leaned back in. “I want this.”  
Indrid smiled back and kissed Duck hungrily. He yelped in surprise as Duck pulled him from the passenger seat to his lap. His cool hands settled on Duck’s shoulders.  
Indrid pulled away breathlessly. “Would you want to go inside?”  
******  
The next morning Duck awoke to the sound of birds. His arm was thrown around Indrid’s waist under the blankets. He pressed a kiss to Indrid’s neck.  
“Morning.” Indrid grumbled into the pillows. Duck smiled.  
“Y’want breakfast?” He asked.  
Indrid rolled over and gestured vaguely to the kitchen. “Lucky Charms are on the top shelf.”  
Duck hopped out of bed and ventured towards the kitchen. Along his way, he noticed scraps of paper with detailed sketches on them lining the walls. It had been too dark, and he had been too busy to notice them last night.  
One of the sketches, layered above the rest, was clearly him. Everything, from his button up shirt with a duck pattern (Aubrey had insisted on buying it for him) to his slight stubble was lovingly rendered. Duck instantly recognized it as the outfit from Indrid’s interview. It filled him with fondness. If last night hadn’t been enough evidence, there was clearly a mutual crush.  
Duck had just poured twin bowls of Lucky Charms when Indrid stumbled into the kitchen. He had wrapped a fluffy blanket around his shoulders like a cape.  
“Glad to see you alive,” Duck quipped as he handed him the bowl of dry cereal.  
Indrid snorted. “Last night was great, but not quite enough to do me in.” His eyes twinkled with mischief.  
Duck gave Indrid a fake wounded look. “Guess we’ve gotta keep trying. That is, only if you’re up for that- “  
Indrid cut him off with a kiss. “Absolutely. Want to see what’s on TV?”  
“Totally. Hey, do you want some milk?”  
Indrid crunched down his dry cereal. “Yes, a glass please.”  
“And you made fun of me for the lemon thing! What the hell? Who drinks milk with dry cereal?”  
“It’s called ratio control, Duck. I’m a fucking genius.”  
The two sat and watched a rerun of Scooby Doo, Duck’s arm thrown over Indrid’s shoulder. Occasionally, one of them would make fun of the villains or the animation, then they would fall back into a comfortable silence.  
Indrid looked up at Duck. “Hey, don’t you have a shift today?”  
“Yeah,” Duck tilted his bowl back to drink the last of the cereal milk. “But Barclay has the morning. I don’t have to go in until one. We’ve got all the time in the world.”  
“Mind if I join you?” Indrid asked. “I mean, I still need more training.”  
Duck laughed. “Y’know, you could just say you wanna spend more time with me.”  
“Maybe,” Indrid singsonged. “You have no proof.”  
Duck pressed a kiss to his forehead and smiled. “Dork.”

**Author's Note:**

> The cereal thing is courtesy of my irl SO. A glass of milk + dry cereal is the only way to eat it.


End file.
